ChetsJug Report post Posted March 20, 2012 For those of you that have a Class A, You know you can drive a Pickup, tow a 5th wheel trailer and tow another trailer behind that. It's the last trailer that the Highway Patrol will be looking at. Just a reminder... The last trailer must be a full trailer... Tractor/Pickup - semi trailer - full trailer. A "semi" trailer is where part of the weight of the towed vehicle is carried by the towing vehicle. - Part on the axle - part on the 5th wheel plate, placing part of the load over the rear axle of your pickup or tow rig. A "full" trailer is where all of the weight rests on it's own wheels and none of it is on the vehicle in front of it. Think of a farm wagon with a draw bar like an old hay ride. None of the weight of the trailer is on the back of the farm tractor. It has its own front and back axles. Or just go look at a set of double trailers on a big rig. The 2 trailers look the same, but the rear trailer has a "dolly" under it. The full load is resting on 2 axles and not on the trailer in front of it. How does this matter when you tow a second trailer in an RV situation? Well it is a fine line, but one that could cause you problems out there. I have seen RV's pulling a 5th wheel and a single axle boat trailer behind. That's a ticket getter. That is a trailer where part of the load is being carried by the towing vehicle. Part on the single axle on the back, part on the hitch on the front draw bar. When towing a second camping trailer, car trailer or boat trailer, Make sure it's a 2 axle trailer to conform to the "Full Trailer" law. Yes, I know that there is still masive tongue weight and it almost makes no sence. With 2 axles, most of the weight is on the tandem axles and only the legal tongue weight is on the hitch. It's the nature of the beast. Obviously a car being towed with all 4 wheels on the ground and a tow bar is a full trailer. You can only tow one "semi trailer" in any state. The other(s) have to be "full trailers". Yes, you can pull a 5th wheel (semi); 2 axle travel trailer (full); and a 2 axle boat trailer in states allowing "triple trailers". But you better have many miles of experience under your tush before attempting this combination. The truckers dont call them "Wiggle Wagons" for nothing! Another side note: A car dolly has a license plate and so does the car mounted to it. I've heard of some cops trying to say that this is 2 "semi trailers" and it's not alloud behind 5th wheels as a third vehicle. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you are ever confronted with this kind of law enforcement twist, remind the officer that the double trailer "dolly's" pulled by the big truck companies ALSO have license plates on them making them a licensed vehicle when not connected to a second trailer. When the car is strapped to the dolly, like when a semi trailer is connected to a dolly, the car and the dolly become one unit (vehicle) with 2 axles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dickandlois Report post Posted March 20, 2012 Chet, On the East side of the country one can not have more then one trailed item at once in many states. One tow trailer. One Boat. One Dolly. Also ! many areas do not allow 3 trailers for the big rigs. I have got to have a cup of coffee with the boys in blue to check out a couple of items, raises some interesting questions for me. Rich. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HenryPatterson Report post Posted March 20, 2012 Before I got my new d/p this year,I towed a fifty wheel and a single axle boat behind that...Itowed this combo for years,from coast to coast and never had a problem and was never stopped except for a tail light out once in Alabama..Our boat trailers here in Okla don't have tags on them either..Butch Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dickandlois Report post Posted March 21, 2012 That is where the different state licenses come in. Where I live an my license and state say no way to pull more then one item. Rick. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted March 21, 2012 NO, it makes no difference whether it is legal to multi-tow in your home state. EACH STATE has its own laws on this, length maximums, weight restrictions, speed limits, etc and you must conform to the laws of the state in which you are driving. The exception is your driver's license and vehicle registration. All states recognize license and registration of other states. The only exception to the recognition of license and vehicle registration by all states is if your registration is in a state other than your home state for the purpose of evading sales/use tax (and you are caught). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ka8mbkcamper Report post Posted April 7, 2012 In Michigan you have to have a RV endorsement to tow double and only with a fifth wheel, not allowed with a MH. Length cannot be over 65 feet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TombstoneJim Report post Posted April 9, 2012 Ain't that way in Arizona. The third unit can be anything thats towable. Straight from the Arizona statutes. 3. A recreational vehicle may pull two units if all of the following conditions are met: (a) The middle unit is equipped with a fifth wheel and brakes. The middle unit may be a farm vehicle or a horse trailer and shall have a weight equal to or greater than the rear unit. ( If the rear unit has a gross weight of three thousand pounds or more, it is equipped with brakes. © The total combined gross weight of the towed units does not exceed the manufacturer's stated gross vehicle weight of the towing unit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
